An Ingrown Toenail: How Is It Treated by a Podiatrist?
What Ingrown Toenail Treatment Is Available?
Ingrown toenails are fairly common and can be quite annoying. This is very common condition is one that Bellevue Podiatry sees quite frequently.
While some ingrown toenails may go away on their own for a brief period of time (but rest assured they will be back), it’s crucial to get a Podiatrist’s assistance to effectively handle the issue. Our mantra is ignoring a problem never cures it – seek professional help for treatment ingrown nails sooner rather than later.
The Nature Of The Ingrown Toenail Problem And Their Treatments
An ingrown nail problem can hurt significantly and impact your quality of life when a toenail burrows into the skin. Shoes, fungal infections, and improper nail clipping are just a few of the things that can cause this painful condition to manifest.
An ingrown toenail treatment you can try is to give your foot a saltwater soak to temporarily relieve the pain (also always remember to trim your nails often – and correctly). This, however, only offers limited relief and doesn’t deal with the fundamental problem.
An untreated ingrown toenail can cause serious health issues. It might result in infections that spread to the nearby bones and tissue in serious cases.
Several effective ingrown toenail treatments are available from our skilled Podiatrists. Whether the condition is a one-time event or a recurring issue, the severity and recommended course of action will vary. Treating ingrown toenails must be a tailored endevour to each individual – there is no one size fits all approach with how to treat ingrown toenails.
3 Effective Ways To Treat Ingrown Toenails
(...and a fourth pain free way we treat this condition at Bellevue Podiatry)
Elevated Nails: In order to relieve any discomfort caused by an ingrown nail, your podiatrist will carefully lift the nail edge to separate it from the skin below. The nail is then covered with cotton, dental floss, or a splint to keep it from touching the skin and allow it to continue growing.
Partial Nail Removal: If your ingrown toenail infection has become painful, red, and need to drain the pus, we may decide to cut out the ingrown portion of the nail edge (known as a partial nail avulsion (pna) with phenolisation). Before removing the nail, local anaesthesia may be used to numb the toe during this procedure.
Complete Nail and Tissue Removal: While an ingrown toenail usually only affects one toe and can be avoided with good foot care, some people have persistent, recurrent ingrown toenails on just one toe. When this happens, we advise removing the ingrown toe nail and any underlying tissue, perhaps with the help of a chemical solution or a careful laser procedure.
After using any of these procedures, the treated toe nails must be taken care of to avoid infection and aid in the healing process.
To do this, wash the area foot wound and skin around it, and soak it regularly for a week in a solution of Epsom salts and antimicrobial soap. It’s also advised to dress the nail with a cream and wrap a bandage around the toe.
In order to relieve pressure on the toe while it heals, it is also advised to wear toe or loosely fitting shoes.
The BS Brace: A Pain Free Ingrown Toenail Infection Solution
At Bellevue Podiatry, we frequently see patients dealing with the discomfort of ingrown toenails. This condition may affect a person’s quality of life and make wearing shoes uncomfortable and walking a troublesome ordeal. It’s a smart move to seek treatment by an experienced Podiatrist for your ingrown toenails.
An ingrown toenail infection can be permanently relieved through surgery. However, for those who are afraid of needles or sharp objects, this surgical nails procedure, involving anaesthesia and the use of a scalpel, can be frightening. This the problem the BS Brace solves.
A simple and painless alternative to toenail surgery is the BS Brace. For more than three decades, it has been successfully used all over the world and offers a remedy for those looking for painless treatment for their ingrown toenails.
Here Is How This Podiatrist Nail Treatment Works On Your Toenail...
- On the underside of the BS Brace, we apply an adhesive.
- Attach the BS Brace by gently pressing for ten seconds on the nail.
- Apply a safe sealant to the nail and BS Brace to ensure adhesion.
- Once the sealant has dried on the nail, secure the nail with BS adhesive and get back to your normal routine.
It takes place quickly and painlessly, all within a routine consultation. You can barely see the BS Brace once applied to your nail.
The BS Brace painlessly repositions the problematic toenail over the ensuing weeks and teaches it to keep the proper alignment. The first signs of relief frequently appear within 30 minutes.
The BS Brace must be changed every four weeks until the ingrown toenail emerges; the number of replacements depends on the individual and can range from 1 to 3. A reasonably priced and painless alternative to surgery, each BS Brace application costs $55 (plus consultation fee).
For those who are wary of conventional toenail surgery, the BS Brace presents an appealing alternative.
Are You Currently Dealing With Painful Ingrown Nails? We Are Here To Help
Our team of skilled and knowledgeable Podiatrists is here to help if you are currently dealing with an ingrown toenail or any other foot, ankle, lower limb skin or nail issues.
Our committed foot and ankle specialists will carefully evaluate a range of non-surgical options to address your problem. However, if the situation calls for it, you can rest assured that we can perform surgical interventions with the utmost skill and care.
Call us right away at (03) 9457 2336 to set up a face-to-face or online consultation. Our top priority is your health.
Ingrown Toenails
Understand how you get ingrown toenails and what you can do to get rid of them once and for all. You don't need to put up with the pain of an ingrown toenail any longer.
